On Sunday April 20th at 12 noon, the BFA will kick start their “FA Cup
day”, with the Appleby U18 KO Cup Finals. 

The road to the Finals started with 8 teams and is down to the 2 finalist. The Southampton Rangers and the Somerset Eagles 
have scored a combined total of 15 goals for and have only allowed 7 goals against in 2 matches. 
Their paths to the finals have been filled with major upsets, kicks from the penalty marks, come from behind wins and great sportsmanship!
 

 
The first team to qualify for the prestigious BFA – Appleby Finals was the Southampton Rangers. Rangers squeezed past the 
Somerset Trojans in the ¼ finals after a 3-3 pulsating finale in regulation time. Via kicks from the penalty mark they survived by a 
score of 5-4, to move into the semis.
 

 
In the semis, Ryan Belboda’s men scored a huge upset by scoring 5 to defeat the North Village Rams. 
Village having finished second in the league were favorites going into the match but could not produce the goods on that day. 
The final score was Rangers 5 and NVCC 1 to be the first team to the “Carpet”
 

 
Ranger’s season did a 180 degree turn with the arrival of star cricketer Malachai Jones, after his return from the 
U19 Cricket World Cup in Malaysia. His presence has added some depth to the midfield and an additional scoring threat 
to the opposing teams. Additional outstanding players to watch will be the unorthodox style of Toyan Battersbee and poacher Bean.
 

Battersbee is the key to Rangers being a good team or very good team on any given day. He will appear and disappear in matches 
but just like Albie Smith (former star of Boulevard) he is there when you need him. This is what makes him special. 
 

Goal scoring machine Akale (Ray Jones) Bean can play a major role. This all depends on if coach Belboda returns him 
to playing as a traditional forward. Akale is at his best when he is close to the opposing goal. What he lacks in speed he makes up 
with a pure poachers instinct. His team has to realize how to play the ball to him, when he is running towards the net.
 

Somerset Eagles
 

Eagles are meant to soar high in the sky and that is exactly what they have been doing, in their last two matches. 
In the ¼ finals they upset the newly crowned league champions Dandy Town 4-2 to advance to the semis. 
This was done in style by racing out to a 4-0 lead, before Town would hit back twice. After 3-0 everyone knew that it was “checkmate” 
and the semi-finals were all that mattered.
 

The semi-finals brought a real challenge and saw the Eagles fly just above the ground then soar above the clouds once again. 
Having squandered chances, escaped out of the handcuffs put on by the PHC strike-force and then dive towards the ground to 
pick up their food, they came out 3-1 winners.
 

The 3 to watch on the Eagles roster are the hard working Shawn Brown,the magical Troy Tucker and ever present Roger Lee.
 

Brown will enjoy the carpet and will use his speed to dart towards the Rangers goal. If he is not shut down early it will be a long 
day for the back four of Rangers.

Troy Tucker is the new “Frank Ming” former star player of PHC. Tall, great tackler and more importantly a schemer. 
Tucker is always creating space for himself with his deft control and is a great passer of the ball. Plus he has eye for goal.

Roger Lee is solid, composed and calm leader for his team. He is a replica of Dennis Brown not as imposing, that is until you feel one of his 
crunching but clean tackles.

The finals are to close to call but on paper the Eagles are the favorites. 
This all depends on which Rangers team’s shows up on the day, 
the Samba boys of Brazil or the part-timers of San Marino?